Method and apparatus for determining radiation

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for determination of ionizing radiation. In some embodiments, the devices comprise nanocomposite materials containing nanostructures (e.g., carbon nanotubes) dispersed in radiation sensitive polymers. In some cases, the device may include a conductive pathway that may be affected upon exposure to ionizing radiation. Embodiments described herein may provide inexpensive, large area, low power, and highly sensitive radiation detection materials/devices.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for determining ionizing radiation, comprising:
 a sensor material comprising a plurality of nanostructures positioned relative to each other so as to together define an average distance between adjacent nanostructures and a polymer material integrally connected to at least a portion of the plurality of nanostructures; and 
 a first and a second electrode in electrochemical communication with the sensor material, 
 wherein at least a portion of the polymer material undergoes depolymerization upon exposure of the device to ionizing radiation such that the average distance between adjacent nanostructures is altered, thereby affecting current flow between the first and second electrode, the change in current flow being indicative of ionizing radiation. 
 
     
     
       2. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises a poly(olefin sulfone), optionally substituted. 
     
     
       3. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises a polyaldehyde, optionally substituted. 
     
     
       4. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material further comprises a species that interacts with the nanostructures via pi-pi stacking interactions. 
     
     
       5. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
       6. A device as  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises pyrene groups. 
     
     
       7. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a group that increases the cross-section value of the sensor material for interaction with ionizing radiation. 
     
     
       8. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a metal-containing group. 
     
     
       9. A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the metal-containing group is a metal complex or a metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
       10. A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the metal-containing group comprises a heavy metal. 
     
     
       11. A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the metal-containing group comprises bismuth. 
     
     
       12. A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the metal-containing group comprises gadolinium. 
     
     
       13. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a plurality of metal-containing groups, each group having a different cross-section value for interaction with ionizing radiation. 
     
     
       14. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 R and R′ can be the same or different and are alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, any of which may be substituted; and 
 n is 1 or greater. 
 
     
     
       15. A device as in  claim 14 , wherein n is 10 or greater. 
     
     
       16. A device as in  claim 14 , wherein R is alkyl, optionally substituted with an azide group or a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. 
     
     
       17. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 R 1  and R 2  can be the same or different and are alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, any of which may be substituted; 
 m, n, and can be 0 or greater, provided that at least one of m, n, and o is 1 or greater; and 
 x is 1 or greater. 
 
     
     
       18. A device as in  claim 17 , wherein x is 3 or greater. 
     
     
       19. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R and R′ can be the same or different and are alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, any of which may be substituted; a, b, c, and d are 0 or greater; and m and n can be 0 or greater, provided that at least one of m and n is 1 or greater; and x is 1 or greater. 
     
     
       20. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       21. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R, R′, and R″ can be the same or different and can be alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, any of which may be substituted; a, b, c, d, and e are 0 or greater; and m, n, and o can be 0 or greater, provided that at least one of m, n, and o is 1 or greater; and x is 1 or greater. 
     
     
       22. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a mixture of polymers. 
     
     
       23. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures are nanotubes, nanorods, nanoribbons, nanowires, or nanoparticles. 
     
     
       24. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures are single-walled carbon nanotubes or multi-walled carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
       25. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructures are gold, silver, copper, bismuth, or gadolinium nanowires. 
     
     
       26. A system, comprising a plurality of devices as described in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       27. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein a, b, w, and n are each individually 0 or greater, R is alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, heteroaryl, each optionally substituted. 
       
     
     
       28. A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor material comprises a polymer having the structure, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein a, b, w, and n are each individually 0 or greater, R is alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, heteroaryl, each optionally substituted. 
       
     
     
       29. A device as in  claim 14 , wherein R is alkyl, optionally substituted with COOR′, wherein R′ is H, alkyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, heteroaryl, or a metal-containing species. 
     
     
       30. A device as in  claim 29 , wherein R′ is gadolinium. 
     
     
       31. A device as in  claim 27 , wherein a, b, and w are each individually 0 or greater and n is 1 or greater. 
     
     
       32. A device as in  claim 28 , wherein a, b, and w are each individually 0 or greater and n is 1 or greater.